WE HAVE REACHED THE GOAL!
Today, I received an email from a great friend informing me that a check for $250 is in the mail. That puts us over the top at $1540! We could not have reached the goal without your help.
You have all been so great! Abraham and I are so grateful for every kindness you have extended to us and your magnanimous generosity in our times of need. We will continue to pray for you all that God will bless you all with the overflowing of His very best for every area of your lives!
Our sincere thanks and heartfelt gratitude!
Mary and Abraham
Showing posts with label Colon Cancer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Colon Cancer. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
TOTALS AS OF SUNDAY 07/20/08
MORE GOOD NEWS!
So far, we have received $1290! We are almost there!
STARTING CHEMO AGAIN
Friday, I had the first chemo treatment. I had the Avastin infusion in the office and I will take Zeloda tablets twice daily for two weeks. One possible side effect of the tablets is upset stomach, so I am trying to minimize that. So far, so good!
Check daily for the latest update!
So far, we have received $1290! We are almost there!
Needed: -$1500Thank you all for you kindness and generosity in helping us pay the August COBRA premium!
Received: $1290
Still Need: -$210
STARTING CHEMO AGAIN
Friday, I had the first chemo treatment. I had the Avastin infusion in the office and I will take Zeloda tablets twice daily for two weeks. One possible side effect of the tablets is upset stomach, so I am trying to minimize that. So far, so good!
Check daily for the latest update!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
STATUS REPORT
THE LATEST TOTALS
Abraham and I want to thank those of you who have already responded to our call for help! You are the best! So far, we have received $290! We are that much closer!
For those of you who have not yet responded and want to, please use the "Donate" button on the right or mail a check payable to:
Mary L. Weeks-Ayala
MEDICAL DONATIONS ACCOUNT
3719 Pacific Court, #175
Benbrook, TX 76109
God bless you all for your kindness and generosity!
Mary and Abraham
Abraham and I want to thank those of you who have already responded to our call for help! You are the best! So far, we have received $290! We are that much closer!
Needed: -$1500Thanks for helping us pay the August COBRA premium.
Received: $340
Still Need: -$1160
For those of you who have not yet responded and want to, please use the "Donate" button on the right or mail a check payable to:
Mary L. Weeks-Ayala
MEDICAL DONATIONS ACCOUNT
3719 Pacific Court, #175
Benbrook, TX 76109
God bless you all for your kindness and generosity!
Mary and Abraham
Friday, July 11, 2008
SCAN RESULTS AND CONCERNS
PET SCAN RESULTS
We saw Dr. Xiong yesterday to get the results of the PET scan I underwent last week. The PET scan is a little like a CT scan with a couple of exceptions. First, instead of picture “slices” taken from front to back through my body, these are taken from head to toe parallel to the floor. Second, a radioactive isotope is used to show where the most rapid new growth is taking place. Cancer grows quickly and absorbs a lot of the isotope so it shows up as a “hot spot” on the scan.
CAUSE FOR CONCERN
Dr. Xiong was concerned by the results. He said the scan shows cancer cells that were dormant in the lymph nodes at the base of my lungs and toward my back are now showing “activity.” These nodes are usually so small that they are not visible on the scan. He found several on the scan that are the size of grapes. He said that indicates that tumors have begun to grow there. He also said that, because these were not an issue before, he believes tumor growth was being held in check by the chemotherapy and wants to restart chemo in the next few weeks.
We are surprised, concerned and a bit disappointed. I feel a little overwhelmed. Abraham was not happy with the doctor’s report. However, we choose to believe that the devil is a liar, that I am cancer-free and that I will remain cancer-free.
OTHER CONCERNS
Although I think I have developed another blood clot, this one in my left inner thigh, the swelling has improved. And I am still experiencing some shortness of breath. Dr. Xiong stated that the scan also showed that I did have some fluid in my lungs (pleural effusion), but not so much that I would have to undergo the procedure to remove the fluid. (It’s a big, long needle inserted through the chest into the base of the lung which they then use to draw the fluid out of the lung sack. Doesn’t sound like much fun, does it?) He wants me to continue on the Lasix for another week. We will re-evaluate at that time. I have an appointment next Thursday at 9 a.m.
In the last week, I have been able to get closer to a regular sleeping and waking schedule that is more like normal. This is good.
COBRA INSURANCE PREMIUMS
I am very concerned about finances. I told you all before that my family could no longer help with medical expenses. They managed to pool their resources and pay our COBRA insurance premiums through this month. However, they have stated that they cannot help with August and September. The COBRA extension expires 09/24/08. Completing the full 18 months on COBRA makes me eligible to purchase insurance through the Texas Insurance Risk Pool (high risk insurance).
We need to keep the insurance in force:
SOME GOOD NEWS
We do have some good news, even though it comes kind of late. Although Abraham will finally start a new job Monday (Woo Hoo!), his first paycheck won’t be enough to cover the August insurance payment AND he won’t get it in time to even contribute toward the payment.
We need a miracle. It is critical that we keep the insurance in force, but we don’t have the resources, personally, to do it. Please be aware that asking for help is not something I do easily. I prefer to be the one providing the help, so being the one needing the help is very uncomfortable for me. That is why I sincerely hope this is the last time I must plead for help. We would like to, again, ask you to pray about helping financially with this urgent need.
If God wants you to give, please email me and let me know. You can make your donation through PayPal by clicking the “Donate” button in the right column.
We love you all and appreciate everything that you all have done to help us thus far—especially your prayers! Please let me hear from you soon!
Mary and Abraham
We saw Dr. Xiong yesterday to get the results of the PET scan I underwent last week. The PET scan is a little like a CT scan with a couple of exceptions. First, instead of picture “slices” taken from front to back through my body, these are taken from head to toe parallel to the floor. Second, a radioactive isotope is used to show where the most rapid new growth is taking place. Cancer grows quickly and absorbs a lot of the isotope so it shows up as a “hot spot” on the scan.
CAUSE FOR CONCERN
Dr. Xiong was concerned by the results. He said the scan shows cancer cells that were dormant in the lymph nodes at the base of my lungs and toward my back are now showing “activity.” These nodes are usually so small that they are not visible on the scan. He found several on the scan that are the size of grapes. He said that indicates that tumors have begun to grow there. He also said that, because these were not an issue before, he believes tumor growth was being held in check by the chemotherapy and wants to restart chemo in the next few weeks.
We are surprised, concerned and a bit disappointed. I feel a little overwhelmed. Abraham was not happy with the doctor’s report. However, we choose to believe that the devil is a liar, that I am cancer-free and that I will remain cancer-free.
OTHER CONCERNS
Although I think I have developed another blood clot, this one in my left inner thigh, the swelling has improved. And I am still experiencing some shortness of breath. Dr. Xiong stated that the scan also showed that I did have some fluid in my lungs (pleural effusion), but not so much that I would have to undergo the procedure to remove the fluid. (It’s a big, long needle inserted through the chest into the base of the lung which they then use to draw the fluid out of the lung sack. Doesn’t sound like much fun, does it?) He wants me to continue on the Lasix for another week. We will re-evaluate at that time. I have an appointment next Thursday at 9 a.m.
In the last week, I have been able to get closer to a regular sleeping and waking schedule that is more like normal. This is good.
COBRA INSURANCE PREMIUMS
I am very concerned about finances. I told you all before that my family could no longer help with medical expenses. They managed to pool their resources and pay our COBRA insurance premiums through this month. However, they have stated that they cannot help with August and September. The COBRA extension expires 09/24/08. Completing the full 18 months on COBRA makes me eligible to purchase insurance through the Texas Insurance Risk Pool (high risk insurance).
We need to keep the insurance in force:
1. So I am eligible for the high risk policyThe monthly premium is just under $1500 and is due by the last day of the prior month, so the August payment is due by 07/31/08. If we are late with the payment, the COBRA policy automatically cancels with no way to renew. We don’t have the money to pay it and we have no way of coming up with it. We need $1500 by 07/31/08.
2. To pay the doctor, prescription and chemo expenses for the next two months (Chemo can be $10,000 per treatment, depending on the drugs selected!)
SOME GOOD NEWS
We do have some good news, even though it comes kind of late. Although Abraham will finally start a new job Monday (Woo Hoo!), his first paycheck won’t be enough to cover the August insurance payment AND he won’t get it in time to even contribute toward the payment.
We need a miracle. It is critical that we keep the insurance in force, but we don’t have the resources, personally, to do it. Please be aware that asking for help is not something I do easily. I prefer to be the one providing the help, so being the one needing the help is very uncomfortable for me. That is why I sincerely hope this is the last time I must plead for help. We would like to, again, ask you to pray about helping financially with this urgent need.
If God wants you to give, please email me and let me know. You can make your donation through PayPal by clicking the “Donate” button in the right column.
We love you all and appreciate everything that you all have done to help us thus far—especially your prayers! Please let me hear from you soon!
Mary and Abraham
Saturday, March 22, 2008
ALMOST CANCER-FREE!
ALMOST CANCER-FREE!
NO COINCIDENCE
That we are leaving town on Resurrection Day headed for Houston and my last operation to be cancer-free has not escaped my notice. I know that it is no coincidence because -- with God -- there is no such thing!
AN INDELLIBLE MEMORY
A few days ago I meditated on the passage from Isaiah 53. I remember the 1977 Franco Zeffirelli mini-series “Jesus of Nazareth.” Lawrence Olivier played the role of Nicodemus. I’m sure you remember it. For many years, it was shown each year during week before Easter.
Zeffirelli used that character to recite this passage from Isaiah as a soliloquy set against the backdrop of the Passion and Crucifixion as it unfolded. It was indelibly etched into my memory from the first time I saw and heard it. I believe the Holy Spirit gave Olivier inspiration and insight, then anointed the performance because He had a message to convey. From that brief part of the series, I gained an understanding of the verse which I did not have prior to seeing it. (And that was five years before I was filled with the Holy Spirit!)
Even now as I describe it to you I feel the same sense of awe and reverence that I felt 31 years ago! I watched each year and each year the Lord deepened my insight into this verse. In the summer of 1982, I invited the Holy Spirit to dwell in my heart. Consequently, the next spring -- when the mini-series ran again -- I got even more insight into not only this verse, but every part of the Bible I read!
Although I have not seen the mini-series in several years, I still remember that soliloquy. In fact, anytime I read that passage, I hear it in Olivier’s voice!
Anyway, I was drawn to meditate on this verse again this week. Having lived through the personal challenges of the last 2 years, I read with a new eyes.
OUR COLON CANCER TIMELINE
Just to refresh your memory of my timeline, it was Wednesday, March 23, 2006, I left work because I felt so bad. The next day was my appointment with the GI doctor who sent me to ER. The ER doctor sent me home with laxatives. Friday, the laxatives did not work, so I returned to ER and was admitted. March 29, the GI performed an emergency colonoscopy and discovered the blockage. March 30 was the day Dr. Rutledge operated and saved my life. That was also the day we all learned that the blockage was cancerous and had spread to my liver.
March 23, 2006, was the beginning of our colon cancer odyssey. March 23, 2008 begins the last phase of our odyssey of defeating cancer.
SHARING INSIGHTS
With all that in mind, I would like to share the passage from Isaiah 53 with you.
“He is despised and rejected of men … we hid … [our] faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”
I remember at the beginning of 2007, I had just started seeing Dr. Xiong and taking the Camptosar. It upset my stomach terribly and made my hair thin. During that time, I frequently wore ball caps when I left the apartment. I couldn’t get out very much, but when I did, not everyone was welcoming. Many times I could feel people staring at me and judging my appearance without any clue regarding the reason. I could relate a little more to how Jesus must have felt as He was being despised and rejected.
“a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief … ”
I remember vividly the waves of sorrow and grief that crashed on me when the results of each test showed that Jesus had not healed me outright. I remember several times when Abraham and I just held each other and wept. The prospect of not being together…let’s just say, neither of us was ready to be without the other.
I remember my very first appointment with Dr. Abdalla. I remember looking at the CT images on the computer screen. I remember the feeling in the pit of my stomach when I saw the “bubble gum machine” locations of all the many tumors, not just the three large ones. Even before he said anything, I new I was not a surgical candidate. I remember walking across the sky bridge back to the hotel. I said to my mother, “Instead of delivering me out of this, I guess God is going to deliver me through it.” I wanted to curl up into a ball and cry. Somehow, I knew that if I gave in to that feeling, it was over. Instead, I chose to hold my head high, keep walking … and keep trusting.
“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”
I drew comfort from that fact that Jesus had already carried that grief and sorrow. He had already experienced everything that I was feeling … and he pressed on, mindful of but not surrendering to the disdain of those who looked upon Him and only saw a loser on his way to death.
“But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities … ”
It was comforting to realize that God did not give me cancer to punish or teach me or to get my attention. Any parent who would make their child sick to discipline or teach them or get their attention would be arrested for child abuse. No matter what mistakes I have made in my life, Jesus was wounded and bruised for them all. He took my punishment so I could receive his inheritance. That was a regular source of comfort and encouragement.
“ … the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him … ”
The word “peace” in this verse comes from the Hebrew word, “shalom” which means “nothing missing, nothing broken.” Everything that could keep me from being whole, Jesus has already addressed. He made is possible for me to be whole in my body, soul and spirit.
“ … and with his stripes we are healed.”
This verse has been in my arsenal for many years. There have been many times when the only way I could get relief from pain of some kind was by declaring this verse over myself. The “stripes” mentioned are the wounds caused by the Cat-o’-Nine-Tails. This was a favorite tool used by the Romans to torture people. It was a whip, but unlike a bullwhip, or other whips with a single strand of leather. Instead, it was made with several strands of leather measuring between two and three feet long. The end of each strand is knotted to create greater impact. In many cases, bits of bone or metal were tied into the knots. This way, the strands did not just lash the back of the transgressor, the bone or metal would dig into the flesh. When the soldier drew the whip back to inflict another lash, the bits would tear the flesh. Any more than just a few lashes with one of these would literally tear the recipient’s flesh to ribbons. (I have linked to a photo of a replica on display in a British museum.)
Jesus was beaten with one of those. And because he was wounded, I am healed. I was healed. I am healed. Because he was tortured mercilessly, I am healed of cancer.
A PARADOX
I know. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to a natural mind. It seems such a paradox. How can I be healed by a beating someone else took? It’s because the someone wasn’t just anyone. He was the Only One who could do it. He was the perfect man. And only the perfect man could take on all the imperfection of a fallen world and give peace, healing, wholeness and forgiveness in return.
If you have never experienced Jesus in the way I have described, you can. All you have to do is talk to him the way you would talk to a friend. Just say, “Jesus, I want to experience you and know you the way Mary does.” That’s all it takes. He is really not as complicated as many people try to make him!
You all have given so much to Abraham and to me during this ordeal. It is our hope that this update has given something back to you, that this has given you something to ponder this Resurrection Day … and each day.
May this Resurrection Day be the most powerful one ever for you!
Mary and Abraham
NO COINCIDENCE
That we are leaving town on Resurrection Day headed for Houston and my last operation to be cancer-free has not escaped my notice. I know that it is no coincidence because -- with God -- there is no such thing!
AN INDELLIBLE MEMORY
A few days ago I meditated on the passage from Isaiah 53. I remember the 1977 Franco Zeffirelli mini-series “Jesus of Nazareth.” Lawrence Olivier played the role of Nicodemus. I’m sure you remember it. For many years, it was shown each year during week before Easter.
Zeffirelli used that character to recite this passage from Isaiah as a soliloquy set against the backdrop of the Passion and Crucifixion as it unfolded. It was indelibly etched into my memory from the first time I saw and heard it. I believe the Holy Spirit gave Olivier inspiration and insight, then anointed the performance because He had a message to convey. From that brief part of the series, I gained an understanding of the verse which I did not have prior to seeing it. (And that was five years before I was filled with the Holy Spirit!)
Even now as I describe it to you I feel the same sense of awe and reverence that I felt 31 years ago! I watched each year and each year the Lord deepened my insight into this verse. In the summer of 1982, I invited the Holy Spirit to dwell in my heart. Consequently, the next spring -- when the mini-series ran again -- I got even more insight into not only this verse, but every part of the Bible I read!
Although I have not seen the mini-series in several years, I still remember that soliloquy. In fact, anytime I read that passage, I hear it in Olivier’s voice!
Anyway, I was drawn to meditate on this verse again this week. Having lived through the personal challenges of the last 2 years, I read with a new eyes.
OUR COLON CANCER TIMELINE
Just to refresh your memory of my timeline, it was Wednesday, March 23, 2006, I left work because I felt so bad. The next day was my appointment with the GI doctor who sent me to ER. The ER doctor sent me home with laxatives. Friday, the laxatives did not work, so I returned to ER and was admitted. March 29, the GI performed an emergency colonoscopy and discovered the blockage. March 30 was the day Dr. Rutledge operated and saved my life. That was also the day we all learned that the blockage was cancerous and had spread to my liver.
March 23, 2006, was the beginning of our colon cancer odyssey. March 23, 2008 begins the last phase of our odyssey of defeating cancer.
SHARING INSIGHTS
With all that in mind, I would like to share the passage from Isaiah 53 with you.
3He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid … [our] faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
“He is despised and rejected of men … we hid … [our] faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”
I remember at the beginning of 2007, I had just started seeing Dr. Xiong and taking the Camptosar. It upset my stomach terribly and made my hair thin. During that time, I frequently wore ball caps when I left the apartment. I couldn’t get out very much, but when I did, not everyone was welcoming. Many times I could feel people staring at me and judging my appearance without any clue regarding the reason. I could relate a little more to how Jesus must have felt as He was being despised and rejected.
“a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief … ”
I remember vividly the waves of sorrow and grief that crashed on me when the results of each test showed that Jesus had not healed me outright. I remember several times when Abraham and I just held each other and wept. The prospect of not being together…let’s just say, neither of us was ready to be without the other.
I remember my very first appointment with Dr. Abdalla. I remember looking at the CT images on the computer screen. I remember the feeling in the pit of my stomach when I saw the “bubble gum machine” locations of all the many tumors, not just the three large ones. Even before he said anything, I new I was not a surgical candidate. I remember walking across the sky bridge back to the hotel. I said to my mother, “Instead of delivering me out of this, I guess God is going to deliver me through it.” I wanted to curl up into a ball and cry. Somehow, I knew that if I gave in to that feeling, it was over. Instead, I chose to hold my head high, keep walking … and keep trusting.
“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”
I drew comfort from that fact that Jesus had already carried that grief and sorrow. He had already experienced everything that I was feeling … and he pressed on, mindful of but not surrendering to the disdain of those who looked upon Him and only saw a loser on his way to death.
“But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities … ”
It was comforting to realize that God did not give me cancer to punish or teach me or to get my attention. Any parent who would make their child sick to discipline or teach them or get their attention would be arrested for child abuse. No matter what mistakes I have made in my life, Jesus was wounded and bruised for them all. He took my punishment so I could receive his inheritance. That was a regular source of comfort and encouragement.
“ … the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him … ”
The word “peace” in this verse comes from the Hebrew word, “shalom” which means “nothing missing, nothing broken.” Everything that could keep me from being whole, Jesus has already addressed. He made is possible for me to be whole in my body, soul and spirit.
“ … and with his stripes we are healed.”
This verse has been in my arsenal for many years. There have been many times when the only way I could get relief from pain of some kind was by declaring this verse over myself. The “stripes” mentioned are the wounds caused by the Cat-o’-Nine-Tails. This was a favorite tool used by the Romans to torture people. It was a whip, but unlike a bullwhip, or other whips with a single strand of leather. Instead, it was made with several strands of leather measuring between two and three feet long. The end of each strand is knotted to create greater impact. In many cases, bits of bone or metal were tied into the knots. This way, the strands did not just lash the back of the transgressor, the bone or metal would dig into the flesh. When the soldier drew the whip back to inflict another lash, the bits would tear the flesh. Any more than just a few lashes with one of these would literally tear the recipient’s flesh to ribbons. (I have linked to a photo of a replica on display in a British museum.)
Jesus was beaten with one of those. And because he was wounded, I am healed. I was healed. I am healed. Because he was tortured mercilessly, I am healed of cancer.
A PARADOX
I know. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to a natural mind. It seems such a paradox. How can I be healed by a beating someone else took? It’s because the someone wasn’t just anyone. He was the Only One who could do it. He was the perfect man. And only the perfect man could take on all the imperfection of a fallen world and give peace, healing, wholeness and forgiveness in return.
If you have never experienced Jesus in the way I have described, you can. All you have to do is talk to him the way you would talk to a friend. Just say, “Jesus, I want to experience you and know you the way Mary does.” That’s all it takes. He is really not as complicated as many people try to make him!
You all have given so much to Abraham and to me during this ordeal. It is our hope that this update has given something back to you, that this has given you something to ponder this Resurrection Day … and each day.
May this Resurrection Day be the most powerful one ever for you!
Mary and Abraham
Sunday, March 16, 2008
LAST TRIP TO HOUSTON!
FINAL OPERATION TO BE CANCER-FREE!
One week from today, we will leave Fort Worth for what we hope will be our last visit to Houston. I will have the last operation in the series of procedures I have undergone to be cancer-free. That goal has kept me going!
A MONTH OF SILENCE…
It has been one month since I updated this blog because it has been that long since I felt strong enough to do it! The radiologist who performed the procedure said I “might have a few flu-like symptoms” resulting from that part of the liver “getting angry” because the blood supply had been cut off.
PVE HARDER ON ME THAN THE FIRST BIG OPERATION!
The PVE was not a big procedure, but it has been harder for me to recover from it, than it was for me to recover from removing 80% of my liver. Imagine that! Even before we left the hospital, I was having trouble. I had begun to have muscle spasms in my back where the puncture wound was (where they inserted the needle). They gave me Valium to relax those muscles so I could sleep overnight in the hospital.
We spent one night in the hospital, then spent the second night in the hotel, hoping that we could sleep and be more rested for the trip home the next day. I had a really hard time finding a position that was comfortable enough for sleep. We had a mountain of pillows stacked on my side of the bed so I could sit slightly reclined. It was a rough night.
The trip home was rather uncomfortable for the same reasons. It was difficult to find a comfortable position. Upon arrival home, we unpacked the necessities only, showered and tried to get some sleep. I was taking medication for the pain and Valium trying to prevent the muscles spasms in my back. Abraham said I got sick to my stomach. I don’t remember that happening.
FINALLY STARTING TO FEEL BETTER
I have had a few brief energy spurts this week and took care of things that must be addressed promptly. Monday, I reconciled our bank statement. I did our taxes Tuesday and Wednesday during my energy spurts. Today was the first day that I have felt good enough to do much of anything for more than just an hour.
A PLEA FOR ADDITIONAL HELP
I am pleased to tell you that my insurance company has reimbursed us for some of the expenses incurred on the previous trips. We used the reimbursement from the Jan-Feb trip to pay for the PVE trip. But—even with the reimbursements—we still need about $1000 toward the hotel bill, copays, gas and food for the trip next week.
It pains me to have to ask for your help, but we have nowhere else to turn. If you thought about helping us before but, for some reason didn’t, please take a moment to do it now. You can click the “Chip In” link on the right to make a donation using a debit or credit card. Or you can mail your check payable to Mary L. Weeks-Ayala Medical Donations Account to:
Mary L. Weeks-Ayala Medical Donations Account
c/o Frost Bank
5561 Bryant Irvin Road
Fort Worth, TX 76132
There is no way to thank you for helping to save my life. Your help is deeply appreciated!
SCHEDULE FOR THE NEXT TRIP…
We will leave Fort Worth Sunday morning (3/23) to give us time to get settled into our room at the Rotary House. Monday (3/24), I have appointments for all the diagnostic tests: blood work, x-rays and another CT scan. Tuesday (3/25), we will see Dr. Abdalla and the anesthesiologist. Wednesday (3/26), is the day of the operation, but I won’t know what time exactly until Tuesday afternoon. I will email everyone to let them know. Now that we know what to expect and have worked out some of the issues with the medications, I expect this hospital stay to be shorter than after the first operation. I hope to be home around April 7 or 8.
Without your prayers and financial assistance, I would not be here. Abraham and I thank you.
Mary and Abraham
One week from today, we will leave Fort Worth for what we hope will be our last visit to Houston. I will have the last operation in the series of procedures I have undergone to be cancer-free. That goal has kept me going!
A MONTH OF SILENCE…
It has been one month since I updated this blog because it has been that long since I felt strong enough to do it! The radiologist who performed the procedure said I “might have a few flu-like symptoms” resulting from that part of the liver “getting angry” because the blood supply had been cut off.
PVE HARDER ON ME THAN THE FIRST BIG OPERATION!
The PVE was not a big procedure, but it has been harder for me to recover from it, than it was for me to recover from removing 80% of my liver. Imagine that! Even before we left the hospital, I was having trouble. I had begun to have muscle spasms in my back where the puncture wound was (where they inserted the needle). They gave me Valium to relax those muscles so I could sleep overnight in the hospital.
We spent one night in the hospital, then spent the second night in the hotel, hoping that we could sleep and be more rested for the trip home the next day. I had a really hard time finding a position that was comfortable enough for sleep. We had a mountain of pillows stacked on my side of the bed so I could sit slightly reclined. It was a rough night.
The trip home was rather uncomfortable for the same reasons. It was difficult to find a comfortable position. Upon arrival home, we unpacked the necessities only, showered and tried to get some sleep. I was taking medication for the pain and Valium trying to prevent the muscles spasms in my back. Abraham said I got sick to my stomach. I don’t remember that happening.
FINALLY STARTING TO FEEL BETTER
I have had a few brief energy spurts this week and took care of things that must be addressed promptly. Monday, I reconciled our bank statement. I did our taxes Tuesday and Wednesday during my energy spurts. Today was the first day that I have felt good enough to do much of anything for more than just an hour.
A PLEA FOR ADDITIONAL HELP
I am pleased to tell you that my insurance company has reimbursed us for some of the expenses incurred on the previous trips. We used the reimbursement from the Jan-Feb trip to pay for the PVE trip. But—even with the reimbursements—we still need about $1000 toward the hotel bill, copays, gas and food for the trip next week.
It pains me to have to ask for your help, but we have nowhere else to turn. If you thought about helping us before but, for some reason didn’t, please take a moment to do it now. You can click the “Chip In” link on the right to make a donation using a debit or credit card. Or you can mail your check payable to Mary L. Weeks-Ayala Medical Donations Account to:
Mary L. Weeks-Ayala Medical Donations Account
c/o Frost Bank
5561 Bryant Irvin Road
Fort Worth, TX 76132
There is no way to thank you for helping to save my life. Your help is deeply appreciated!
SCHEDULE FOR THE NEXT TRIP…
We will leave Fort Worth Sunday morning (3/23) to give us time to get settled into our room at the Rotary House. Monday (3/24), I have appointments for all the diagnostic tests: blood work, x-rays and another CT scan. Tuesday (3/25), we will see Dr. Abdalla and the anesthesiologist. Wednesday (3/26), is the day of the operation, but I won’t know what time exactly until Tuesday afternoon. I will email everyone to let them know. Now that we know what to expect and have worked out some of the issues with the medications, I expect this hospital stay to be shorter than after the first operation. I hope to be home around April 7 or 8.
Without your prayers and financial assistance, I would not be here. Abraham and I thank you.
Mary and Abraham
Thursday, January 3, 2008
MY STORY: COLON CANCER DEATH SENTENCE REVERSED!
WHAT A PEACEFUL DREAM...
FIGHTING THROUGH TO MORPHINE HAZE
Finally managing to lift my eyelids, I gaze into the weary eyes of my husband, Abraham, now haggard from lack of sleep. He takes my right hand in his, as he did the day we were married. "Honey," he says sweetly, his brown eyes filling with pools of love and deep concern, "You’re okay. You’re in the hospital. You had to have emergency surgery to remove a blockage from your colon."
"Dr. Dewar performed an exploratory colonoscopy and found a tumor that had completely blocked your colon," he continued. "You needed emergency surgery. He called Dr. Rutledge, who removed the tumor and a section of your colon. He couldn't reconnect your colon right now, so he gave you a colostomy."
TOTAL HELPLESSNESS
The oncologist arrived next. Cold and inattentive, he blurts, "Yes, it’s colon cancer, and it’s spread to your liver. Come to my office, and we’ll start chemo." With a flourish of his white lab coat, he turned on one heel and disappeared. I did not like him. I felt helpless.
Get a second opinion, I reasoned. Surely they can remove lesions from my liver, or even remove part of the liver itself, allowing it to
re-grow cancer-free. The CT machine in Houston, however, produced more hopeless details, multiple lesions. My liver looked like a gumball machine, filled with tumors. The operation was a no-go. I was crushed.
AT LAST, A RAY OF HOPE!
The doctors at The University of Texas M. C. Anderson Cancer Center were the first to offer hope. They instructed me to proceed with chemotherapy with the goal of allowing the chemo to shrink and eliminate as many tumors as possible, then return for re-evaluation. I eventually switched oncologists, so that they could collaborate with a former colleague who had relocated to Fort Worth.
Their 12-month customized treatment plan – although physically grueling and financially draining – has cleared all but three tumors from my liver. I am now a candidate for surgery! Two final operations will remove the diseased tissue and allow my liver
to re-grow cancer-free.
NEED FOR SURGERY
Without these operations, I may live for another couple of years, but the tumors will definitely return. Where they reappear determines how long I will live.
Until now, no one who has had the disease in such advanced stages as I once did has responded to treatment well enough to even be considered for these operations. Most people with advanced Stage IV colon cancer are considered beyond help and usually die within 6-12 months of diagnosis.
ONE FOR THE MEDICAL RECORD BOOKS!
Having already outlived the average Stage IV patient, I will be in the medical record books! What’s more, I have an opportunity to have surgery to be cancer-free! And although Dr. Abdalla can’t guarantee I will remain cancer-free forever, he is confident these operations will tremendously increase my odds--giving me a fighting chance to live a long and healthy life.
I was not ready to die at the time of the initial diagnosis, and I am not ready to die now! Abraham is not ready for me to die, either, and has laid down his career to help me live. Our personal financial resources were exhausted more than 18 months ago. Only through my family’s generosity have we made it this far. Unfortunately, their financial resources are now exhausted, as well.
URGENT NEED FOR ASSISTANCE
I am tentatively scheduled for the first of two operations at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center on January 28.
Here’s how you can help us pay for the operations I need to save my life:
1. Pray. If God chooses to heal me through this rather than deliver me out of it, please pray specifically that Jesus guides Dr. Abdalla's hands during surgery, that the Holy Spirit tangibly fills the operating room and keeps the entire surgical team focused and sharp, that all the equipment functions properly and that I have a painless recovery.
2. Make an individual donation online through PayPal's secure server.
- Copy this email address: ColonCancerDeathSentenceReversed@yahoo.com.
- Click here to open PayPal.
- Click on the Send Money link at the top of the page.
- Paste the above email address into the To field.
- Type your email address into the From field.
- Enter the amount of your donation into the Amount field.
- Click the Service/Other button.
- Click Continue to complete the transaction.3. Make an individual donation in person.
- Call us at 817-569-7621 or click here to email us for more information. Every prayer counts. Every dollar counts. Both are greatly appreciated.
God bless your gracious generosity!
Mary and Abraham
Find me on MySpace and be my friend!
Gentle waves rock me to that place you go just before falling asleep. The sun soothes my skin, as the wind whispers her lullaby of rest. I don’t have to be anywhere anytime soon. Here on my imaginary raft, everything is warm, soft, peaceful, comfortable…perfect.Later, hovering in the place between sleeping and waking, I am aware of a strange sensation near my belly button. Still dazed with anesthesia, I notice discomfort radiating from my abdomen. What is this? Struggling to reach full consciousness, I move both hands toward my abdominal area. It’s lumpy…What is that? I wonder. Except for the pain in my stomach lately, I have always been in good health.
FIGHTING THROUGH TO MORPHINE HAZE
Finally managing to lift my eyelids, I gaze into the weary eyes of my husband, Abraham, now haggard from lack of sleep. He takes my right hand in his, as he did the day we were married. "Honey," he says sweetly, his brown eyes filling with pools of love and deep concern, "You’re okay. You’re in the hospital. You had to have emergency surgery to remove a blockage from your colon."
"Dr. Dewar performed an exploratory colonoscopy and found a tumor that had completely blocked your colon," he continued. "You needed emergency surgery. He called Dr. Rutledge, who removed the tumor and a section of your colon. He couldn't reconnect your colon right now, so he gave you a colostomy."
TOTAL HELPLESSNESS
The oncologist arrived next. Cold and inattentive, he blurts, "Yes, it’s colon cancer, and it’s spread to your liver. Come to my office, and we’ll start chemo." With a flourish of his white lab coat, he turned on one heel and disappeared. I did not like him. I felt helpless.
Get a second opinion, I reasoned. Surely they can remove lesions from my liver, or even remove part of the liver itself, allowing it to
re-grow cancer-free. The CT machine in Houston, however, produced more hopeless details, multiple lesions. My liver looked like a gumball machine, filled with tumors. The operation was a no-go. I was crushed.
AT LAST, A RAY OF HOPE!
The doctors at The University of Texas M. C. Anderson Cancer Center were the first to offer hope. They instructed me to proceed with chemotherapy with the goal of allowing the chemo to shrink and eliminate as many tumors as possible, then return for re-evaluation. I eventually switched oncologists, so that they could collaborate with a former colleague who had relocated to Fort Worth.
Their 12-month customized treatment plan – although physically grueling and financially draining – has cleared all but three tumors from my liver. I am now a candidate for surgery! Two final operations will remove the diseased tissue and allow my liver
to re-grow cancer-free.
NEED FOR SURGERY
Without these operations, I may live for another couple of years, but the tumors will definitely return. Where they reappear determines how long I will live.
Until now, no one who has had the disease in such advanced stages as I once did has responded to treatment well enough to even be considered for these operations. Most people with advanced Stage IV colon cancer are considered beyond help and usually die within 6-12 months of diagnosis.
ONE FOR THE MEDICAL RECORD BOOKS!
Having already outlived the average Stage IV patient, I will be in the medical record books! What’s more, I have an opportunity to have surgery to be cancer-free! And although Dr. Abdalla can’t guarantee I will remain cancer-free forever, he is confident these operations will tremendously increase my odds--giving me a fighting chance to live a long and healthy life.
I was not ready to die at the time of the initial diagnosis, and I am not ready to die now! Abraham is not ready for me to die, either, and has laid down his career to help me live. Our personal financial resources were exhausted more than 18 months ago. Only through my family’s generosity have we made it this far. Unfortunately, their financial resources are now exhausted, as well.
URGENT NEED FOR ASSISTANCE
I am tentatively scheduled for the first of two operations at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center on January 28.
Here’s how you can help us pay for the operations I need to save my life:
1. Pray. If God chooses to heal me through this rather than deliver me out of it, please pray specifically that Jesus guides Dr. Abdalla's hands during surgery, that the Holy Spirit tangibly fills the operating room and keeps the entire surgical team focused and sharp, that all the equipment functions properly and that I have a painless recovery.
2. Make an individual donation online through PayPal's secure server.
- Copy this email address: ColonCancerDeathSentenceReversed@yahoo.com.
- Click here to open PayPal.
- Click on the Send Money link at the top of the page.
- Paste the above email address into the To field.
- Type your email address into the From field.
- Enter the amount of your donation into the Amount field.
- Click the Service/Other button.
- Click Continue to complete the transaction.3. Make an individual donation in person.
- Deliver your check made payable to:4. Make an individual donation by mail.
Mary L. Weeks-Ayala Medical Donations Account
to any Frost Bank location in Texas, the only bank we found to give same day deposit credit.
- Mail your check made payable to:
Mary L. Weeks-Ayala Medical Donations Account
c/o Frost Bank
5561 Bryant Irvin Road
Fort Worth, TX 76132
- Call us at 817-569-7621 or click here to email us for more information. Every prayer counts. Every dollar counts. Both are greatly appreciated.
God bless your gracious generosity!
Mary and Abraham
Find me on MySpace and be my friend!
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